Polysaccharide thickeners, gelatinized starches, emulsifiers, pulverized bread and the like have been employed, in order to provide an improved moist texture and a tender texture for cereal flour foods such as breads, cakes, Japanese sweets, noodles and the like and meat foods such as hamburg steaks, sausages and the like. Nevertheless, an addition of a larger amount of these may deteriorate a workability at the time of a preparation or their original textures of foods or drinks.
On the other hand, needs for the foods containing larger amount of water, which have an enhanced moist texture and a soft texture and an easiness of swallowing, are increasing, due to preferences and a population aging of consumers.
Here, materials employing starches are described in Patent Documents 1 to 6. Patent Document 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-265490) describes an unmodified gelatinized starch, which is obtained by gelatinizing an unmodified starch such as a high amylose corn starch or the like through a heat treatment with a drum dryer or the like. It is also described that the unmodified starch is gelatinized to achieve a fibrous texture or a pulp-like texture.
Patent Document 2 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H08-9907 [1996]) describes a material for a food substance, which is obtained by gelatinizing a high amylose corn starch with an extruder. This also describes that the obtained material for a food substance is used in the preparation of a hamburg steak and a deep-fried food “karaage”.
Patent Document 3 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H08-9871[1996]) describes a technology for gelatinizing a potato starch and a high amylose starch or a starchiness having higher amylose content with an emulsifier agent.
Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Domestic Publication for PCT Application No. 2004-519546) describes a technology for gelatinizing an amylose-rich starch by a drum drying process.
Patent Document 5 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H10-165102[1998]) describes a technology related to a bean paste food having an anti-syneresis property that contains a gelatinized starch of a high amylose corn starch.
Also, Patent Document 6 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H5-15296 [1993]) describes a technology, in which a modified starch satisfying specific conditions of a solubility in hot water, a degree of swelling in cold water, ratios of these and a particle size is employed for bakery foods.